Device and method to remove debris from an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system

Abstract

A method includes irradiating debris deposited in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system with laser, controlling one or more of a wavelength of the laser or power of the laser to selectively vaporize the debris and limit damage to the EUV) lithography system, and removing the vaporized debris.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 irradiating debris deposited in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system with laser; 
 controlling one or more of a wavelength of the laser or power of the laser to selectively vaporize the debris and limit damage to the EUV) lithography system; and 
 removing the vaporized debris. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laser is a fiber laser. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the debris is deposited on a surface of an intermediate focus (IF)-cap module of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the debris includes tin and the method further comprises:
 controlling the power of the laser so that the debris is heated to a temperature of at least 230° C. to less than 1080° C. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength is controlled to be greater than around 600 nm. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein removing the vaporized debris includes vacuuming the vaporized debris from the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tool. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein irradiating the debris includes scanning a surface of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tool including the debris with the laser. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein prior to irradiating the debris, the method comprises:
 determining an amount of accumulation of the debris; 
 halting operation of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system when the amount of accumulation is at or exceeds a desired level; and 
 accessing a location in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system that includes the debris. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling one or more of the wavelength of the laser and the power of the laser includes controlling the wavelength or the power such that the debris is heated to form plasma. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein irradiating the debris using the laser includes focusing the laser on the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system. 
     
     
       11. A method comprising:
 irradiating one or more tin droplet in a zone of excitation of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source apparatus of an EUV lithography system with an excitation laser to generate EUV radiation; 
 detecting for a presence of tin debris deposited on a surface of an intermediate focus (IF)-cap module of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source apparatus; 
 irradiating the tin debris with a pulsed laser; 
 controlling a pulse width of the pulsed laser such that the tin debris is vaporized; and 
 cleaning the surface of an intermediate focus (IF)-cap module by removing the vaporized debris; and 
 exposing a reticle to the EUV radiation for patterning a semiconductor substrate. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pulsed laser is a fiber laser. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 controlling a power of the pulsed laser so that the tin debris is heated to a temperature of at least 230° C. to less than 1080° C. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 controlling a wavelength of the pulsed laser to be greater than 600 nm. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein cleaning the surface of the intermediate focus (IF)-cap module includes vacuuming the vaporized debris from the intermediate focus (IF)-cap module. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein irradiating the tin debris includes scanning the surface of the intermediate focus (IF)-cap module with the pulsed laser. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining an amount of accumulation of the debris; 
 halting an operation of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system when the amount of accumulation is at or exceeds a desired level; 
 accessing a location in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system that includes the debris for irradiating the tin debris with the pulsed laser; and 
 after cleaning the surface, resuming operation of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system. 
 
     
     
       18. A debris cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a laser source coupled to an optical fiber, the laser source configured to generate a pulsed laser that is irradiated on tin debris deposited on a surface of an intermediate focus (IF)-cap module of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system, wherein the fiber laser generator is configured to control one or more of a wavelength of the pulsed laser and a power of the pulsed laser such that the tin debris is vaporized; and 
 a vacuuming tool to remove the vaporized tin debris and thereby clean the surface of an intermediate focus (IF)-cap module. 
 
     
     
       19. The debris cleaning apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the fiber laser generator is further configured to control the power of the pulsed laser so that the tin debris is heated to a temperature of at least 230° C. 
     
     
       20. The debris cleaning apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the fiber laser generator is further configured to control the wavelength to be greater than 600 nm.